The impact of COLIPA guidelines for assessment of skin compatibility on the development of cosmetic products.

After the VI Amendment to the Cosmetic Directive (93/35/EEC), the COLIPA, the European Cosmetic Toiletries and Perfumery Association, published the 'Cosmetic Product Test Guidelines for the Assessment of Human Skin Compatibility'. The document represents a reference for the European cosmetic industry. The global nature of the VI Amendment outlines a new way of evaluating the safety of cosmetic products. It includes a marketing ban for cosmetic products that have been tested on animals and consequently implies a potential ban on the use of animals in evaluating the safety of cosmetic products. The value of the COLIPA guidelines resides in the need to set up a product information package, referred to as the dossier. The guidelines also stress the need for the protection of consumer health. These new requirements have significantly influenced the approach to product development. At the same time, scientific progress demands a more complex definition of skin compatibility.